Cheetah Technologies, LP, a leader in network performance and video quality management solutions, today announced planned enhancements to its CMD-EL end of line RF monitor that will dramatically expand cable system operators’ ability to perform critical digital measurements on QAM video carriers. In addition, the product development will be expanded to provide support for DOCSIS 3.0 and IPv6.

The new CMD-EL+ has been designed to provide cable system operators with a seamless upgrade path for ensuring the most accurate measurement of QAM carriers as operators move to all-digital networks.  Building on the CMD-EL’s success in measuring analog carriers and power levels in digital carriers, the new product has the ability to provide measurements critical to video quality on any QAM carrier in the network.

Cheetah Technologies will provide additional details about the CMD-EL+ and other industry-leading monitoring and management solutions at its booth (#2254) at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo October 20-22 in New Orleans.

“While the migration to all-digital networks offers operators the ability to provide significantly more programming and services, the trade-off is increased complexity within the networks themselves,” said Steven John, CEO for Cheetah Technologies.  “The CMD-EL+ gives operators the data and measurements they need to give subscribers the Quality of Experience they expect.”

The CMD-EL+ features a new embedded cable modem module (eCMM) that leverages DOCSIS 3.0 chip technology, resulting in a highly-flexible solution:  Operators can upgrade to measure both digital and analog carriers by replacing the eCMM in current products, purchase new CMD-EL+ units with the technology embedded or install new units that are designed to measure digital carriers only.

The enhanced product enables cable operators to measure a wide variety of indicators across all QAM carriers, including pre- and post-Forward Error Correction (FEC) Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) and Bit Error Rate (BER), as well as Modulation Error Ratio (MER).  The CMD-EL+ also is able to capture QAM constellation data and can provide adaptive equalization measurements for QAM performance with regard to micro-reflections.  All measurements and alarms are displayed via the CheetahXD or CheetahLynx management system.

Cheetah’s CMD-EL and CMD-EL+ are strand or pedestal mounted network health test points capable of delivering RF level measurements and digital measurements on the downstream QAM Video carriers. The CMD-EL and CMD-EL+ can provide measurement data in real time to aid in diagnosing network faults and provide scheduled measurements to aid in diagnosing intermittent network performance issues. The device can be programmed to monitor and alarm on specific RF and Digital parameters and proactively notify users when RF characteristics are outside of user-defined limits.

Categories: Press Releases